The reason: The premiere of Life UneXpected on the network. The new Zeigen will be airing its first season (only six episodes) in Gossip Girl's time slot.
Of course, while six weeks without our Zeigen always stinks, it is worth noting that this does not in any way shorten Season 3. When Gossip Girl returns in March, it will run 11 (or 12) consecutive Mondays until the season finale.
Von our calculations, and according to our sources, this leaves four Mehr episodes before the hiatus the Zeigen is taking from January 18 until March:
* Weiter week's "The Last Days of Disco Stick" (3.10)
* An as-yet untitled episode November 30 (3.11)
* "The Debarted," January 4 (3.12)
* "Jenny, Full of Grace," January 11 (3.13)
Note that this is all subject to change and not 100 percent confirmed. The episode air dates, that is. The hiatus has definitely been confirmed.
